Car-fender.



No. 685,6!6. Patented Oct. 29, l90l.

L. S. KIRKER.

CAR FENDER.

(Application filed. June 19, 1901.,

2 Sheets-Sheef I.

(No Model.

I m: moms vrrgas co., mom-mam. wAsmNpYo'N, a, c.

' Patented Oct. 29, 190i. L. S. KIRKER.

CAR FENDER.

(Application filed June 19,

- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Moqel.)

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

LOWRY SCOTT KIRKER, WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 685,616, dated October 29, 1 901.

Application filed June 19, 1901. Serial No. 66,146. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LQWRY SCOTT KIRKER, citizen of theUnited States of America, and a resident of Wheeling, county of Ohio, and State of Test Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Fenders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in car-fenders, and has for its object to construct a car-fender that operates instantly and automatically when its front end strikes an object in the track 'iu'front of the car to which it is attached.

The invention further aims to provide a car-fender of the above-referred-to class that will be simple in its construction, strong, durable, effectual in its operation, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and, furthermore, a car-fender which may be easily and quickly operated by the car operator when occasion demands.

The invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which Will hereinafter be fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In describing my invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein similar reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention, showing it secured in position on a car. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

fenderproper is mounted, showing in broken section the foot operating mechanism; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the said hanger. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the same, showing in broken section a'portion of the foot operating mechanism. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the shoe.

In the drawings, 1 designates the front platform of a car, to which my invention is attached. Secured on the under side of the front edge of the car-platform 1, by bolts through the perforations 2, provided therein, is a hollow metal hanger 3, in which the fender proper is supported and in which it operates. In the bottom portion of said hanger 3 is a plate 4, provided with a hole or open ing 5 therethrough. An integral upwardly- Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the hanger in which the extendingjaw 6 is formed on each side of the frontend of said hanger 3, and recesses 7are left between said jaws and the front edges of the sides. in the plate 4 is a bolt 8, having on its upper end an'integral head 9. Provided on said bolt 8 below the plate 4 is a loose collar or washer 10, against which rests the upper end of a spiral spring 11, the lower end of said spring resting upon a collar or washer 12.

The fender proper consists of a frame 13, constructed of any desired material, but preferably of one or more sections of gas-pipe formed in the shape shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with sides 14. An irregularly-shaped rod 15,

as shown in Fig. 1, extends from the upper end of one of the sides 14 to the upper end of the opposite side. A woven-wire netting 16 is secured to the said frame 13 and to the rod 15 in any suitable manner. A shoe 17, (clearly shown in Fig. 6,) having a hollow head 18, is fitted over each of the upper ends of the side portions 14 of the frame, preferably byproviding screw-threads in the head 18 and on the upper ends ofthe side portions 14 and screwing said shoes on said ends. The toe 19 of said shoe 17 isprovided with a longitudinal slot 20 therein, said slot being adapted to engage the bolt 8 above the plate 4and below its head 9. On each side of the heel of the shoe 17 is provided an integral lug 21, saidlugs being adapted for engaging the recesses 7, in which the said fender is handle portions provided on the sides 14 of the fender for raising the same to adjust it in position on the car.

On the outer side of each of thehangers 3 is provided a vertical downwardly-extending arm 22. Having its opposite ends fixedly secured in the lower ends of said arms 22 is a horizontal rod or bar 23. Pivotally mounted on said rod or bar 23, at each end thereof, in such a position that the upper face of its front end will engage the point of the bolt 8 is a lever 24, the'rear end of which is pivoted at 25 to a short vertical arm 26. With its op- Extending through the opening 5 IQO posite ends secured in the respective upper ends of said arms 26 is a horizontal rod or shaft 27. Secured at its lower end to said rod or shaft 27, substantially midway between the ends thereof, is a vertical rod 28, which extends upward through the car platform and has on its upper end a foot piece or plate 29.

31 indicates an opening provided in the top of the hanger 3, through which the bolt 8, with the head 9, is adapted to be inserted before securing said hanger in position on the car.

Now my invention operates substantially as follows: Assuming that all the parts of the invention are properly secured in position, as shown in Fig. 1, when the front end of the fender strikes an object in the track the said fender will instantly drop downward near to the track in substantially the position shown in Fig. 2, this by reason of the shoe attached to the ends of the sides 14 being fulcrumed in the recesses 7 bf the hanger 3, the impact causing the fender and shoe to act as a lever against the spring 11 and to raise the bolt 8. When for any reason it is desired to drop the fender, the car operator may by placing his weight on the foot-plate 29 in stantly cause said fender to drop, the Weight through the intermediate mechanism raising the front end of the lever 24 against the lower end of the bolt 8 and forcing said bolt upward, or, in other words, the weight counteracts the force exerted by the spring 11 and permits the bolt 8, carrying said spring, to rise, and as said bolt rises the fender is permitted to turn on its fulcrum and to tip its front end downward, as shown in Fig. 2.

As is apparent from the foregoing, in the event that the car operator does not have sufficient time to lower the fender, as hereinbefore mentioned, the impact resulting from striking an object inthe track in front of the fender will cause said fender to drop automatically. It will be noted that this is an especially desirable feature, since it will prove particularly useful in cases where pedestrians are struck by moving cars.

It will be noted that various changes may be made in the minor details of construction and in the arrangement of parts without departing from the general spirit or scope of my invention. This will particularly apply to the construction and arrangement of the parts composing the foot operating mechanism of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination with a car-fender, of hangers provided with projections or jaws, shoe-shaped attachments provided with lugs pivotally mounted in said hangers on said jaws and supporting said fender, and means provided in said hangers whereby the front end of the fender is normally retained in an elevated position, said means being adapted to permit the front end of the fender to drop when it meets an obstruction, substantially as set forth and described.

2. The combination of the drop fender, shoes on the upper ends of the side portions thereof, the hangers 3 with jaws 6, the said shoes hung in said jaws to support the fender, the spring-controlled bolts 8 in engagement with the slot 20 provided in said shoes, and adapted to normally hold the front end of the fender in an elevated position and to be actuated by a blow on the front end of said fender to drop the said front end thereof, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a car-fender, of hangers mounted underneath the ear, jaws provided on said hangers, fender-supporting shoes having lugs thereon in engagement with said jaws, a movable bolt provided in each of said hangers, said shoes provided with slots in engagement with said bolts, springs for normally retaining said bolts in a depressed position holding the front end of the fender above the track, and means under the control of the car operator for retracting said springs so as to permit the said front end of the fender to drop, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the end of a car, of supporting brackets or hangers carried thereby, the fender proper pivotally mounted in said hangers, a spring-controlled bolt movably secured in each of said hangers, fendersupporting shoes provided on each end of said fender, said shoes in engagement with said bolts, said bolts normally holding the front end of said fender in an elevated position, means whereby said fender is automatically tipped when it meets with an obstruction, a shaft 23 provided with levers the points of which are in engagement with said bolts, and means extending to the platform occupied by the car operator for operating the said levers so as to permit the front end of the fender to drop, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a drop-fender, hangers provided with jaws, fender-supporting shoes having lugs to engage said jaws, a bolt mounted in each of said hangers, said fendersupporting shoes each provided with a longitudinal slot in thetoe thereof in engagement with the respective bolts, a spring on each of said bolts adapted to normally hold said bolts in a depressed position, and, consequently, to hold the front end of the fender in an elevated position, and the means of operating the drop-fender, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and described.

6. In an automatic car'fender, the combination of the hangers provided with jaws thereon and each having a perforated plate in the bottom thereof, a spring-controlled bolt mounted in the perforation in each of said plates, the fender proper pivotally supported in the said jaws in engagement with said bolts, whereby the forward end of said fender proper is normally held elevated above the track, a rod having its ends secured in vertical arms provided on' said hangers and depending therefrom, levers mounted on said rod with their ends in engagement with said bolts, and operating mechanism under the control of the car operator for working said levers whereby the bolts may be raised to drop the front end of the fender, substantially as described.

7. In a oar-fender, the combination with a car, of a hanger secured thereto at each side of the front end thereof, jaws provided on said hangers, a plate having an opening therethrough provided in said hanger, a spring- 7 controlled bolt carrying a head 9 operating in said opening, a fender-supporting shoe secured on the upper end of each side portion of the fender proper, said shoes provided with means whereby they support the said fender proper on the jaws of the hanger, the toe of each shoe provided with a slot adapted for engagement with the said bolts, said spring-controlled bolts being adapted to normally hold the front end of the fender in an elevated position, and adapted to be raised to permit the fender to drop when said fender meets an obstruction, substantially as set forth and described.

8. The combination of a drop-fender, fenmounted on said rod 23 and having their front ends in engagement with said springcontrolled bolts, and means under the control of the car operator for depressing the rear ends of said levers to raise said bolts from their normal position,thereby permitting the front end of the fender to drop near to the track, substantially as, and in the manner, set forth and described.

Signed by me at Wheeling, West Virginia,

this 6th day of June, 1901.

LOWRY SCOTT KIRKER.

Witnesses ELBERT MITCHELL, J. WM. HARRIS. 

